Lot 80: Takamura Toyochika (1890-1972) A bronze koro (incense burner), Showa era (1926-1989), c. 1930

TAKAMURA TOYOCHIKA (1890-1972)
A bronze koro (incense burner), Showa era (1926-1989), c. 1930
The incense burner cast in rogin (shibuichi) in a hemispherical form
set on a tiered, splayed, stem foot, the stem and lid pierced with
an open flower-petal motif, the sides of the basin decorated with
two abstract floral motifs in relief, signed on the underside in cast
seal-form Toyochika
With wood tomobako inscribed on the interior of the lid Rogin koro
and signed and sealed on the underside of the lid Toyochika
5in (12.7cm) high; 4 3/4in (12.1cm) diameter

The third son of the acclaimed sculptor Takamura Koun, Takamura
Toyochika studied bronze casting under Tsuda Shinobu and graduated
in 1915 from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, where he became
Associate Professor in 1926 and full Professor in 1934. After World
War II, he showed regularly at the national Nitten exhibitions. In 1964,
he was designated a Ningen Kokuho (Living National Treasure).
His work is included in the collections of Tokyo National University
of Fine Arts and Music. Toyochika often favored the geometries of the
global machine age but in the case of this incense burner he might
also have been inspired by Korean Silla-period, stem cups: unglazed,
grey stoneware ceramics that utilize geometric cut-outs to ornament
their supporting stems.
For a detailed discussion of the artist and his work, see Kendall H.
Brown (ed.), Deco Japan: Shaping Art and Culture, 1920–1945,
Alexandria, VA, Art Services International, 2012, cat. no. 65.